Foldable poultry brood box

Abstract

A foldable poultry brood box having a folding bottom, folding endwalls, and folding sidewalls provides a sheltered environment for the maturation of a brood of young poultry. Preferably, after the brood box is deployed, a floor overlay insert is placed and retained within the brood box to overlay, bridge over, and cover substantial portions of two floor free edges.

I claim: 
     
       1. A foldable poultry brood box comprising two congruent brood box blanks operatively and foldably connected one to the other;
 each said brood box blank comprising 
 a rectangular floor having a first large isosceles right triangular floor panel foldably connected respectively along each leg of said first large isosceles right triangular floor panel to a second small isosceles right triangular floor panel and to a third small isosceles right triangular floor panel, each said small isosceles right triangular floor panel congruent to the other, 
 an integral endwall foldably connected and depending from and along the hypotenuse of said first large isosceles right triangular floor panel, 
 two integral half sidewalls each said half sidewall foldably connected and depending from and along the length of a leg of an adjacent said small isosceles right triangular floor panel and each said half sidewall adjacent and foldably connected to respective opposite ends of said endwall, 
 said rectangular floor having a floor free edge opposite said endwall; 
 said two brood box blanks foldably connected one to the other by foldably connecting said half sidewalls at opposite ends of said free floor edge of one said brood box blank to respective said half sidewalls at opposite ends of said free floor edge of the other said brood box blank; 
 a floor overlay insert received within said brood box substantially overlaying said floor free edges; and 
 a poultry bedding placed in said brood box to cover said floor overlay insert. 
 
     
     
       2. A foldable poultry brood box in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising at least one light fixture having a spring clamp mount attached by means of said clamp mount along one top edge of said brood box with said fixture aimed into said brood box from above whereby light and heat are directed into said brood box. 
     
     
       3. A foldable poultry brood box in accordance with  claim 2  further comprising a plurality of vent flap die cuts selectively distributed across said endwalls forming a plurality of pivotable vent flaps that can be pivoted about a respective plurality of vent flap fold lines. 
     
     
       4. A foldable poultry brood box having a folding bottom comprising
 two congruent brood box blanks operatively and foldably connected one to the other; 
 each said brood box blank comprising 
 a three-panel rectangular floor having a floor-length floor free edge and a floor-length isosceles right triangular floor panel foldably connected respectively along each leg of said floor-length isosceles right triangular floor panel to one of two flanking isosceles right triangular floor panel, each said flanking isosceles right triangular floor panel having a hypotenuse respectively congruent and along one of said legs of said floor-length isosceles right triangular floor panel and each said flanking isosceles right triangular floor panel having a respective free leg forming a half of said floor free edge; 
 an integral isosceles trapezoidal endwall having two endwall angled leg edges, an endwall smaller base free edge, and an endwall larger base edge, said endwall larger base edge congruent and foldably connected to said floor along the hypotenuse of said floor-length isosceles right triangular panel and said endwall extending outward from said floor; 
 and two integral right trapezoidal sidewalls, each said sidewall having a sidewall smaller base free edge, a sidewall angled leg edge adjacent congruent and foldably connected to one of said endwall angled leg edges, a sidewall perpendicular leg free edge away from said endwall, and a sidewall larger base edge, each said sidewall larger base edge congruent and foldably connected to said floor along a second leg of one of said respective flanking isosceles right triangular panels and each said sidewall respectively extending outward from said floor; 
 and said brood box blanks aligned to one another with respective floor-length floor free edges adjacent one another and with respective said sidewall perpendicular leg free edges of one said box blank operatively and foldably connected to respective adjacent congruent said sidewall perpendicular leg free edges of the other said box blank, and 
 a floor overlay insert received within said brood box substantially overlaying said floor free edges. 
 
     
     
       5. A foldable poultry brood box in accordance with  claim 4  wherein
 said rectangular floor having two corner flap retaining slots, each said respective retaining slot located in a respective one of two interior corners of said rectangular floor away from said floor free edge; 
 said endwall having two endwall corner flap die cuts located proximate said respective endwall angled leg edges, each said endwall corner flap die cut forming a respective swinging door-like sail-shaped pivotable endwall corner flap having a lower distal endwall corner flap anchor tab proximate said floor, and a respective proximal endwall corner flap fold line perpendicular to said endwall larger base edge, each respective said endwall corner flap pivotable about said respective endwall corner flap fold line inwardly towards said floor free edge and for said respective anchor tab selectively to engage and be anchored in said respective flap retaining slot; 
 and each said sidewall having a sidewall corner flap die cut located proximate said sidewall angled leg edge, each said sidewall corner flap die cut forming a swinging door-like sail-shaped pivotable sidewall corner flap proximate said floor having a proximal sidewall corner flap fold line perpendicular to said sidewall larger base edge, said sidewall corner flap pivotable about said sidewall corner flap fold line inwardly towards said floor free edge to be selectively anchored behind said endwall corner flap. 
 
     
     
       6. A foldable poultry brood box in accordance with  claim 5  further comprising a poultry bedding placed in said brood box to cover said floor overlay insert. 
     
     
       7. A foldable poultry brood box in accordance with  claim 6  further comprising at least one light fixture having a spring clamp mount said light fixture attached by means of said clamp mount along one top edge of said brood box with said fixture aimed into said brood box from above whereby light and heat are directed into said brood box. 
     
     
       8. A foldable poultry brood box in accordance with  claim 7  further comprising a plurality of vent flap die cuts selectively distributed across said endwalls forming a plurality of pivotable vent flaps that can be pivoted about a respective plurality of vent flap fold lines. 
     
     
       9. A foldable poultry brood box in accordance with  claim 4  wherein
 said rectangular floor having two floor corner bracing strut die cuts, each said respective bracing strut die cut located in a respective one of two interior corners of said rectangular floor away from said floor free edge and proximate respectively each of said legs of said first large isosceles right triangular floor panel, and each said bracing strut die cut forming a respective pivotable floor corner bracing strut having a bracing strut free end and a respective proximal bracing strut fold line perpendicular and across said legs of said first large isosceles right triangular floor panel, each respective said bracing strut pivotable about said respective strut fold line upwardly; 
 said endwall having two endwall corner flap die cuts each located proximate said respective endwall angled leg edges, each said endwall corner flap die cut forming a respective swinging door-like sail-shaped pivotable endwall corner flap having a lower distal angled corner and a lower distal endwall corner flap anchor hole proximate said floor, and a respective proximal endwall corner flap fold line perpendicular to said endwall larger base edge, each respective said endwall corner flap pivotable about said respective endwall corner flap fold line inwardly towards said floor free edge and for said respective anchor hole selectively to engage and be anchored by said respective bracing strut free end of respective said bracing strut; and 
 each said alternative sidewall having a sidewall corner flap die cut located proximate said sidewall angled leg edge, each sidewall corner flap die cut forming a swinging door-like sail-shaped pivotable sidewall corner flap having a lower distal angled corner and a lower distal sidewall corner flap anchor hole proximate said floor and a proximal sidewall corner flap fold line perpendicular to said sidewall larger base edge, said sidewall corner flap pivotable about said sidewall corner flap fold line inwardly towards said floor free edge for said respective anchor hole selectively to engage and be anchored by said respective bracing strut. 
 
     
     
       10. A foldable poultry brood box in accordance with  claim 9  further comprising a poultry bedding placed in said brood box to cover said floor overlay insert. 
     
     
       11. A foldable poultry brood box in accordance with  claim 10  further comprising at least one light fixture having a spring clamp mount attached by means of said clamp mount along one top edge of said brood box with said fixture aimed into said brood box from above whereby light and heat are directed into said brood box. 
     
     
       12. A foldable poultry brood box in accordance with  claim 11  further comprising a plurality of vent flap die cuts selectively distributed across said endwalls forming a plurality of pivotable vent flaps that can be pivoted about a respective plurality of vent flap fold lines. 
     
     
       13. A foldable poultry brood box in accordance with  claim 4  wherein
 said rectangular floor having two floor corner bracing strut die cuts, each said respective bracing strut die cut located in a respective one of two interior corners of said rectangular floor away from said floor free edge and proximate respectively each of said legs of said first large isosceles right triangular floor panel, and each said bracing strut die cut forming a respective pivotable floor corner bracing strut having a bracing strut free end and a respective proximal bracing strut fold line perpendicular and across said legs of said first large isosceles right triangular floor panel, each respective said bracing strut pivotable about said respective strut fold line upwardly; 
 said endwall having two endwall corner flap die cuts each located proximate said respective endwall angled leg edges, each said endwall corner flap die cut forming a respective swinging door-like sail-shaped pivotable endwall corner flap having a lower distal rounded corner and a lower distal endwall corner flap anchor hole proximate said floor, and a respective proximal endwall corner flap fold line perpendicular to said endwall larger base edge, each respective said endwall corner flap pivotable about said respective endwall corner flap fold line inwardly towards said floor free edge and for said respective anchor hole selectively to engage and be anchored by said respective bracing strut free end of respective said bracing strut; and 
 each said alternative sidewall having a sidewall corner flap die cut located proximate said sidewall angled leg edge, each sidewall corner flap die cut forming a swinging door-like sail-shaped pivotable sidewall corner flap having a lower distal sidewall corner flap anchor hole proximate said floor and a proximal sidewall corner flap fold line perpendicular to said sidewall larger base edge, said sidewall corner flap pivotable about said sidewall corner flap fold line inwardly towards said floor free edge for said respective anchor hole selectively to engage and be anchored by said respective bracing strut. 
 
     
     
       14. A foldable poultry brood box in accordance with  claim 13  further comprising a poultry bedding placed in said brood box to cover said floor overlay insert. 
     
     
       15. A foldable poultry brood box in accordance with  claim 14  further comprising at least one light fixture having a spring clamp mount attached by means of said clamp mount along one top edge of said brood box with said fixture aimed into said brood box from above whereby light and heat are directed into said brood box. 
     
     
       16. A foldable poultry brood box in accordance with  claim 15  further comprising a plurality of vent flap die cuts selectively distributed across said endwalls forming a plurality of pivotable vent flaps that can be pivoted about a respective plurality of vent flap fold lines.